Redesigning a commercial combined cycle in an undergraduate thermodynamics course: Connecting theory to practical cycle design

Abstract

Due to various reasons, the concepts of thermodynamics are not easy to grasp for undergraduate students. One of the major reasons is that the students are mostly unfamiliar with the thermodynamics devices discussed in the courses. Offering courses with experiments is an effective approach to solve this issue. However, it is not practical or possible for universities to own devices that operate at high temperatures and with high pressure fluids. With the cooperation of a nearby electric company, undergraduate students of a thermodynamics course from the Department of Mechanical Engineering measured thermal performances of a commercial combined cycle and its sub-systems at the President University. After learning about the theory of thermal cycles, the students analyzed the thermal performances of actual thermodynamics cycles. Subsequently, they analyzed the thermal efficiency improvements when reheating or regeneration is applied to the simple Rankine cycle in the combined cycle. At the end of the course, the students gave presentations before the electric company’s management and engineering personnel, akin to professional engineers. This course is structured to familiarize undergraduate students with thermodynamics cycles and devices.